The basic problem was the lack of a lightweight, portable apparatus capable of being carried and operated by a person to launch unmanned, remotely piloted surveillance aircraft, especially as it applies to rugged, remote sites often encountered in military applications (including anti-terrorism special operation missions). Other needs for such an apparatus include homeland defense applications and planetary exploration, such as surveillance of Martian terrain.
Launching unmanned, remotely piloted surveillance aircraft is traditionally achieved by operating from a pre-constructed runway surface to gain takeoff speed or by using a heavy, trailer-mounted catapult system that is not practical for remote surveillance applications. Further, in the case of using a runway surface, such a surface is generally not available for remote operations.
While trailer-mounted catapult or runway systems are adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a lightweight, portable launch mechanism that is capable of being carried, and operated, by a person to launch an unmanned, remotely piloted aircraft at a remote location.